U.S. maritime labor urges support for full funding of new Coast Guard Great Lakes icebreaker
The following letter dated October 19 and signed by American Maritime Officers National President Paul Doell, Seafarers International Union President Michael Sacco, Marine Engineers' Beneficial Association President Adam Vokac, and International Organization of Masters, Mates and Pilots President Donald Marcus was sent to Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer and Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi.
On behalf of the undersigned maritime labor unions, we ask that you retain full funding for a Coast Guard Great Lakes icebreaker (GLIB) in any final version of your reconciliation legislation. Funding for the GLIB was included in the reconciliation bill as marked-up by the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee in September. Also, during consideration of the budget resolution in August, the Senate approved a floor amendment by Sen. Tammy Baldwin by an 85-13 margin calling for full funding for the GLIB.
The GLIB is crucial to the economic viability of shipping and commerce on the Great Lakes. Great Lakes waterborne commerce annually supports more than 147,000 jobs in eight Great Lakes states and generates $20.3 billion in business revenue. This commerce depends on robust icebreaking continuing during the winter. However, the existing Coast Guard Great Lakes icebreaking fleet has been shrinking for decades. Full funding for the GLIB will support maritime and other union jobs, address climate change impacts, and support economic resilience and billions of dollars in revenue and wages.
We recognize that you face difficult decisions in developing the final version of the budget reconciliation legislation. We are grateful for your leadership as you address these challenging but critically important issues and we thank you for your consideration of this request.